5 Places We’d Rather Be Diving This Fall

There’s something about fall that makes us start dreaming about where we could go next.

Summer may be winding down, but that certainly doesn't mean dive season is over. In some parts of the world, fall brings warm water, incredible visibility, active marine life and some of the best opportunities of the year to get underwater.

And, of course, half the fun of planning a dive trip is deciding what comes along in the dive bag.

So, if we could pack our favorite diveskins and take off tomorrow, these five destinations would be very high on our list.

#5: Bonaire, Caribbean Netherlands

Bonaire is one of those places that seems to understand divers.

There are more than 85 dive sites around the island, but what really makes Bonaire special is how much diving can be done right from shore. Instead of every dive beginning with a boat ride and a schedule, you can grab your gear, head to the water and explore at your own pace.

And there is plenty waiting below the surface. Bonaire's warm Caribbean water is home to thriving reefs, hundreds of species of fish and the kind of colorful underwater scenery that can make an hour disappear very quickly.

What We'd Pack: Dream Reef Diveskin

Dream Reef just belongs here. Its mix of brilliant blues, corals, yellows and reef-inspired color feels like an extension of the scenery you're there to see. If we're going somewhere known for colorful Caribbean reefs, we might as well dress for the occasion.

#4: Red Sea, Egypt

The Red Sea has a different kind of energy.

Egypt's Red Sea is home to more than 300 species of coral and more than 1,000 species of fish, with diving destinations stretching from Hurghada and Marsa Alam to Sharm el-Sheikh and Dahab.

There are colorful reefs, clear water, dramatic underwater landscapes and marine life everywhere you look. Some areas offer easy shore diving while others give experienced divers plenty of opportunities to venture farther out.

It's beautiful, but it's also a little wild. And we like that.

What We'd Pack: Lionfish Diveskin

For this one, we'd go bold. The intricate pattern and striking color of our Lionfish Diveskin feel right at home against the Red Sea's dramatic reefs. It's one of those prints that looks good on land and somehow makes even more sense once it gets underwater.

#3: Sea of Cortez, Mexico

If your idea of a great dive involves wondering what might swim past you next, the Sea of Cortez deserves a spot on the list.

This stretch of water between Baja California and mainland Mexico is famous for its marine life, and fall is an especially exciting time to explore it. Depending on where and when you dive, encounters can include sea lions, rays, huge schools of fish and, of course, whale sharks.

There is something pretty humbling about sharing the water with animals like these. We're visitors in their world, and getting the chance to quietly observe them in it is something that never really gets old.

What We'd Pack: Whale Shark Diveskin

Could we have picked anything else? Our Whale Shark Diveskin was inspired by one of the ocean's most recognizable gentle giants. Taking it into waters known for whale shark encounters just feels right.

#2: Fiji

Some places look like they were designed by someone who really, really likes color. Fiji is one of them.

Its reefs are famous for spectacular soft corals surrounded by tropical fish and marine life, creating underwater landscapes that almost don't look real. It's the kind of place where you want to slow down and actually look around instead of racing from one sighting to the next.

For anyone who loves underwater photography, colorful reefs or simply being surrounded by a whole lot of ocean life, Fiji is hard to beat.

What We'd Pack: Aqua Mermaid Diveskin

Bright water. Bright coral. Bright diveskin. Aqua Mermaid brings together tropical blues, greens and purples in a print that feels made for somewhere like Fiji. This is where scuba diving swimwear gets to be a little more fun. After all, there isn't any rule saying you have to disappear into the reef.

#1: The Maldives

Then there are the Maldives.

More than 1,000 coral islands spread across 26 natural atolls create an underwater world of reef walls, channels, caves, coral-covered pinnacles and cleaning stations. Depending on where you dive, you could find yourself sharing the water with reef sharks, turtles, whale sharks, eagle rays and manta rays.

Fall makes things particularly interesting. Whale shark sightings around South Ari Atoll are excellent throughout the year and peak from August through November, while the seasonal gathering of manta rays around Baa Atoll reaches its peak from June through October.

There aren't many places where the view above the water and the world underneath it compete quite this hard for your attention.

If we're dreaming big, this one gets our #1 spot.

What We'd Pack: Spotted Eagle Ray Diveskin

Watching a ray glide through the water is one of those sights that seems almost effortless. Our Spotted Eagle Ray print takes its inspiration from that beautiful spotted pattern, making this an easy choice for the Maldives.

And if you're packing a scuba skin suit for a trip like this, we'd much rather it look like something that belongs in the ocean.

Where Would You Dive?

The wonderful thing about diving is that there will always be another place to explore.

A reef you've never seen. An animal you've never encountered in the wild. A stretch of water you've never slipped beneath before.

That's a pretty good reason to keep a dive bag ready.

Wherever you're heading this fall, SlipIns Diveskins make an easy travel companion. Wear one on its own in warm water or underneath your wetsuit for full-body UPF 50+ sun protection and an easier slip in and out of your suit.

Now comes the difficult part: deciding where we're going first.